Floyd Benjamin Lewis, 96, passed away at home on Monday, March 10, 2025. He was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, to the late Marvin W. Lewis and Mary Topa. He moved to Southern California during the Great Depression. He joined the Navy at 17 years old and served his country for 20 years. He specialized in early electronics and radar systems. Floyd was chosen as a plank owner on the U.S.S. Enterprise and retired as a Senior Master Chief. Thereafter, he was a civilian Navy employee working on radar systems in port and sea. At times, he was airlifted into combat zones to oversee radar repair. After his civilian retirement, he worked on the same systems for Navy contractors. Floyd was stationed across California while in the military. He moved with his family to the Hampton/Newport News area in the early 1960s, then to Williamsburg after retirement, where he resided for almost 30 years.
Floyd never stopped learning. After retirement, he studied things he loved, such as golf and String Theory. He dearly loved his wife Carol of 75 years, his family, baseball, fishing, gardening, showing dogs, Science Fiction, Oreos, Dr. Pepper, playing cards, and the mimosa trees of his youth.
Floyd and Carol were avid travelers during his working years and in retirement and have traveled worldwide. Even though he swore never to board another ship, the Lewis’s greatly enjoyed cruising around the Fijian Islands.
Floyd always did the right thing and helped whomever he could. He was a kind man and a wonderful father, grandfather and great-grandfather.
Floyd was preceded in death by his father, Marvin W. Lewis, mother, Mary Topa, brother, Carl Lewis, and sister, Francis Parks. He is survived by his loving wife, Carol J. Lewis; sons, Marvin W. Lewis, Mark E. Lewis (Janet Neese), and Mitchell B. Lewis; daughter, Mara Barnhart (Robert); four grandchildren, Jennifer Bateman (Brent), Shane Lewis, Naomi Lewis, and Gabriella Neese; and a great-grandson, Bruce Bateman.
A graveside service was held on Friday, March 14, 2025, at the Jewish Cemetery of the Virginia Peninsula. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association on Floyd’s behalf. Funeral arrangements are under the care of Peninsula Funeral Home.
